Lewis Mansker was the grandson of George Mansker, who came to the United States from Germany, with his father, Ludwig. Lewis Mansker's father was another John Mansker who was born in Pennsylvania and who later moved to Missouri. Lewis was born 14 Nov 1801 in Cape Girardeau City, Missouri. Lewis Mansker married Jane Cash Smith in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1826. In the 1840 census, Lewis Mansker and his wife were living in Torance, Cape Girardeau, Missouri with four daughters and a son, Jacob Lewis Mansker. Lewis Mansker then died about 1844.

Jacob Lewis Mansker and his wife, Margaret Elizabeth Bond have a murky past. Jacob's parents were married and living in Missouri when he was born. Yet his birth place is given as Chester, Illinois. Margaret had parents born in North Carolina and also claims she is the niece of Shadrach Bond, the first Governor of Illinois. Shadrach Bond lived 110 years before Margaret, and his genealogy is well documented. There is no relationship between them as uncle and niece or even as a grand niece.

Jacob joined the 22nd Illinois US Infantry in 1861, and then deserted the military while in Alabama in 1862. Jacob was forty years old when his first son, George, was born and forty three years old when Ed Mansker was born. His wife, Margaret, was twenty four years old when George was born. 

Margaret had a stepfather, Solomon Miller, indicating her biological father had died while she was young. Despite the lack of evidence to support her claim, Margaret had her tombstone engraved with her maiden name of "Margaret Elizabeth Bond," with the inscription, "Niece of Shadrach Bond." Margaret's dad was Milas Bond who traveled to Illinois from Virginia, and died the year Margaret was born. 

Of the eight children of Jacob Lewis Mansker and Margaret Elizabeth Bond, only two survived into adulthood, Ed Mansker and May Mansker.